| Abstract: | The roots of Trachycalymma fimbriatum (WEIMARCK ) BULLOCK contain both cardenolide and pregnaneglycosides. Elimination of 2-deoxysugars by mild acid hydrolysis gave a mixture from which some anhydroderivatives and the following compounds could be isolated: uzarigenin ( l ), ascleposide = 3-O-(6-deoxy-β-D -allopyranosyl)-uzarigenin ( 4 ), coroglaucigenin ( 6 ) and two pregnane derivatives (H and J). Compound H could be identified as 3β,14β-dihydroxy5α, 17α-pregnan-20-one ( 10 ). Compound J is probably a new substance, for which we tentatively assign structure 18 , i.e. 3β8β,14β-trihydroxy-5α,17α-pregnan-20-one. We suspect H and J to be artefacts produced from the corresponding 17b-derivatives during acid hydrolysis. 17-iso-H is probably a precursor in the biosynthesis of uzarigenin. The cardenolides of Trachycalymma fimbriatum are the same as found in Asclepias glaucophylla, a closely related species, while the pregnane derivatives of the latter are distinctly higher hydroxylated. |
